Source:
Memoirs of celebrated female sovereigns, volume 1, pages 38 to 44, by Anna Brownell Jameson, 1831
The biography:
Peace being concluded, the states-general entreated Christina to acquiesce in the wishes of her people, and secure the tranquility of the country, by giving them a king. They proposed as a proper object of her choice her cousin, Charles Gustavus, a prince of great bravery and accomplishments, who had been born and educated in Sweden. His mother, the Princess Catherine, having been governess to Christina, had not neglected the opportunity thus afforded her, of cultivating in the mind of her pupil a predilection for her son; he had been the playfellow of the young queen in her childhood, and she had then in sport promised to marry him, and was accustomed to call him her "little husband". He was the only one among her suitors for whom she seems to have entertained a real and personal regard. Prince Charles pressed his own suit gallantly, but though favoured by her in every other respect, she never, from the time she was able to feel and reflect as a woman, committed herself by a single word on which he could build a hope as a lover. When, in 1647 [sic], the Prince was appointed general-in-chief of the Swedish forces in Germany, (an office which shows at once the high trust which Christina reposed in him, and the wish to remove him for a while from her presence,) he had a parting interview with the queen, and took advantage of the moment to draw from her, if possible, some expression of tenderness; he reminded her of her childish preference, her infant promise to him; and he entreated her not to allow him to depart without knowing what hopes he might venture to entertain. The queen, in reply, desired him to rest no hopes whatsoever on the early preference she had confessed for him, nor on any promise made at a time when she could not properly be responsible for any engagement. She insisted that every thing which had ever passed between them should be forgotten, or considered as null and void. At the same time she intimated gently, that she would declare her final intentions when she had completed her twenty-fifth year, (she was now in her twenty-first,) and had celebrated her coronation; and she promised him, that if then she did not marry him, she would not marry at all, and would take such measures as should secure his succession to the throne; to this Charles replied, in a very lover-like style, "that if she refused to accept him as a husband, he would reject the crown she offered him, on any other terms". Christina gaily reproached him with being so "romanesque" in his ideas, but as he eagerly continued the same protestations, she stopped him, with something of her usual haughtiness, reminding him, that if he should even die before the period she had mentioned, it was sufficient honour for him that he had been thought worthy of pretending to the hand of so great a queen; — and with these words she dismissed him (The Count de la Gardie and her preceptor Matthias were both present during this singular conference; and Charles Gustavus left a memorandum of what passed, in his own hand-writing, which was copied by Puffendorf.).
To the repeated remonstrances of the senate and clergy, Christina replied in the same ambiguous manner; and to those of her courtiers and confidants, (the French minister Chanut being among the number,) who ventured to express their surprise at her conduct, she replied in terms which showed how deep-rooted was her disgust at the idea of giving herself a master, or even a partner in power. When they pressed upon her the expediency of marrying, in order to ensure an heir to the crown, she answered, "Il pourrait aussi facilement naître de moi un Néron qu'un Auguste". Unreasonable as this conduct may seem, Christina in this one instance maintained her consistency; and there was something in her resolute frankness more honest and respectable than the continued trifling and absurd coquetry of Queen Elizabeth.
Christina kept her word with Prince Charles, and one of her first cares was to have him acknowledged by the states as her successor to the crown; the high sense of honour, the spirit, resolution, and dexterity with which she accomplished her purpose, would have been admirable, but for the usual mixture of impatience, selfishness and arrogance which she displayed on the occasion. The senate, before they would consent to ratify the nomination, required absolutely some pledge relative to her marriage, which she as peremptorily refused. The Bishop Matthias (her old preceptor) ventured to hint, that the constitution of the kingdom "obliged her to marry;" it was like putting the spark to the gunpowder. "Who", she exclaimed, "who upon earth shall oblige me to do so, if I do not of my own free will? Until you consent to my wishes in this matter, do not think to draw from me one word on the subject of marriage. I do not deny that I may one day marry; the good of my kingdom is a powerful motive; but I will not be bound, — nor heaven, nor earth, shall force my will!" "All Europe", said the bishop, "have for years regarded the Prince as your Majesty's destined husband. What will be said and thought when this extraordinary arrangement becomes public?" To which the queen replied, "What care I? when people are tired of talking about me and my affairs, they will find some other subject of conversation." The council entreated time, she insisted that the affair should be settled immediately, still holding out some hope that she would subsequently yield to their wishes, and repeating frequently that if ever she married she would give her hand to Prince Charles, "foi d'honnête femme!" — "I believe", said the Constable Torstenson, "that the prince will never marry at all, unless accepted by your Majesty." "Yes", replied the Queen sarcastically, "la couronne est une jolie fille!" intimating probably a suspicion that the affections of the prince were fixed upon her crown, not upon herself. This idea, whether infused into her mind by Magnus de la Gardie, or a discovery for which she was indebted to her own quick and jealous penetration, had shocked her personal pride, without rendering her less anxious to secure the throne to Prince Charles. She had not only bound herself by a solemn promise to him, she also feared that the states would declare the crown elective in favour of some other candidate, and thus strike at the very foundation of the regal power. For these reasons, although her resolution was already formed, she eluded all expression of her real intentions, and by a conduct at once resolute and artful, she at length carried her point; the act declaring Charles Crown-Prince of Sweden, that is, heir-apparent to the throne, was agreed to by the Diet, and signed in March 1650 [sic].
When the deed of succession was brought to the Chancellor Oxenstiern for his signature, the old man wept, and protested against it; he regarded it as the preliminary step to Christina's ultimate purpose, of which his sagacity foresaw the consequences.
The conduct of Charles was throughout a masterpiece of policy: concealing a most aspiring and ambitious character under a calm and submissive exterior, he appeared merely to resign himself to the will of Christina, and conscious how far he still depended on her caprice, he was careful not to awaken that jealousy of power which she carried to a childish excess; on giving up his military command, he lived in retirement, never took the slightest interest in any affairs of the government, nor appeared at court unless expressly invited. By this discretion he maintained himself in the good graces of the queen, till it was no longer necessary to wear the mask; and the supposition that she afterwards repented of her act in his favour, and wished to substitute Count Tott, though very consistent with her capricious character, seems to rest on no authority.
Above: Kristina.
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Above: Karl Gustav.
Above: Anna Brownell Jameson.
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